ST. PAUL, Minn. — In an exciting comeback, San Diego FC clinched a 4-2 win over Minnesota United, ending Minnesota’s five-match unbeaten streak. The standout player for San Diego was Anders Dreyer, who found the net twice, with one goal in each half of the match. Milan Iloski also made a significant impact, scoring two goals late in the game. This played a crucial role in securing the victory for the expansion team on Saturday night.
Minnesota United initially took an early lead in the match when San Diego defender Christopher McVey inadvertently scored an own goal in the 8th minute. However, San Diego bounced back quickly. Just three minutes later, Dreyer delivered a stunning strike from near the halfway line, pulling the team level at 1-1. This marked his seventh goal in an impressive debut season in the league.
Minnesota reclaimed the lead before halftime thanks to Kelvin Yeboah, who netted a right-footed shot from inside the box. This was his fifth goal of the season and his 12th in his career spanning 26 appearances. As the match continued into the second half, San Diego found another equalizer. Dreyer capitalized on a penalty opportunity in the 66th minute, awarded following a foul by Minnesota defender Anthony Markanich.
Iloski, entering the game at the start of the second half, became a crucial presence for San Diego. He scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute and followed up with another goal in stoppage time, securing the win. These were Iloski’s only goals for the current season, with all his goals coming from substitute appearances in 13 career matches, 11 of which were this season. Dreyer also provided his ninth assist of the league on Iloski’s opening goal.
In the defensive end, San Diego’s goalkeeper CJ dos Santos made five key saves, while Minnesota’s new goalkeeper Wessel Speel recorded four saves in what was his league debut. With this win, San Diego climbs to second place in the Western Conference, now three points ahead of both the Portland Timbers and Minnesota United, and trailing two points behind the leading Vancouver Whitecaps.
Both clubs are set to continue their league campaigns on June 25. Minnesota United will face off against the Houston Dynamo in their next match, while San Diego will travel to compete against the Whitecaps.